Equipment for drying of textile goods



May 7, 1963 H. FLr-:lssNER 3,088,223

EQUIPMENT FOR DRYING OF TEXTILE GOODS Filed Oct. 20, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 JWM/5%@ May 7, 1963 H. FLElssNr-:R 3,038,223

EQUIPMENT FOR DRYING OF TEXTILE GOODS Filed 001'.. 20, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 a FIG.9

FIG.5

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The present invention relates .to drying equipment for pliable goods, fibers, textiles and more particularly to method and means for drying finished textile products which should not be exposed to shrinkage or other iniluences which would spoil or deteriorate the value and shape of finished products of the aforesaid type.

It is one of the primary objects of the present invention to provide means ensuring maintenance of an article or finished product made from fibrous or cellulosic material as to shape, size and non-shrinkage during drying or like treatment operation.

It is another object of the present invention to provide means facilitating correct and easy guidance of the product or like wares over -a sieve drum drier battery lor arrangement lwithout subjecting said wares to undue stress and with positive elimination of shrinking iniiuences.

Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide means conducive to uniform adherence of the product under treatment to a carrier or form which is capable of readily conforming to the contour of the drying or like treating equipment over and along which such form is directed and guided.

Still another object -of this invention resides in the provision of means rendering the possibility of adjusting the articles under treatment to predetermined configuration, size and shape, which is of particular importance in regard of garments, textile pieces and similar products, which are to be dried without suering -any shrinkage effects, while such products are not pierced or otherwise damaged during the procedural treatment steps.

It is a further object of the invention to provide means contributing to a very eflicacious and highly economical treatment plant, which permits to carry out the aforesaid procedural step within short periods of time depending on the texture and delicacy of .the textile product under treatment.

The invention is speciiically directed to process and apparatus for drying material `on -sieve drum driers. The materials to be treated should not shrink or be subjected to any variations in size, configuration or texture. The process can be carried out on sieve drum driers known per se, with one or more drying drums, which -may be arranged in a single row `or in staggered relation to each other.

The procedural steps of the invention are that the material is first spread out on or applied to a frame. Instead of a frame there may be used forms, for example, with movable arms, etc., or forms combined with frames, or boxes, etc. The forms are provided with equally effective suction surfaces as mentioned with respect to the frames. The material so spread out or applied will always retain its shape during the ensuing drying process. The material, for example, a pullover or parts of a pullover, etc., is held by means of small hooks or other holding means arranged equally and adequately spaced from each other.

These frames, forms or the like are then conducted over and conform to the -sieve drum surface, and generally the material under treatment will not touch the drum surface. In most of the cases it will be sufficient if the exible frame is held by suction on the drum surface. Consequently, suction cup type devices may be associated with the product carrying frame, which devices become ops" "s r.

erative along relatively large retaining areas or smooth adhering surfaces may be employed to hold the frame or frames in their operative position.

When the llexible frame (the same may be divided into -sections which may be pivotally hinged or connected together) is conducted toa sieve drum, it -is retained by the action of the therein prevailing suction action and moves with the drum to a point or station where Ia cover or :shutter plate suppresses or eliminates the suction effect. According to the invention there are preferably guide means provided extending from one to the next drum in order to have a favorable transition to succeeding drums, where the above operational cycle takes place. As guide means may be used, for example, roller tracks below the sieve drum driers, or below and above thereof, or other suitable means. The number of sieve drums and their battery-like arrangement depends on the length of the drying cycle or path to be described. At the end of the drying course the frame sections are deviated from their course by suppressing the suction action so that it no longer has any influence on the frame.

It is quite apparent, that there may be provided conducting or guiding surfaces for the frames, so that the frames are directed in the above described sense on, or inA a desired zone of the drum surface. Generally the engagement rof the frame by the drum is directly controlled. This may be achieved in that the frame applies to or adheres by suction to the drum.

The tracks, therefore, press the frame against the drum surface so that the same travels along. Spring-loaded members, provided for example on mounts, bring it about that the necessary retaining pressure is always present. The tracks themselves may, of course, also be elastically mounted, thus making the pressure controllable. Known means, such as rolls, etc., may serve to insure good glid- On the other hand, conveying means may conduct the frame. As simplest conveyor means there may be used belts, ropes, wires, chains, etc.

It has been also contemplated according to the invention to provide entraining pieces at the drum edges. These engageable pieces, for example, bolt-like elements, engage in slotted guides of the frames, -so that the latter are thereby adequately entrained and maintained in position. Such entraining devices can be employed as safety measures when the frames are to be carried along the lower region of the respective drum.

These and other objects of the invention will become further -apparent from the following description, reference being made to the accompanying drawings 1showing preferred embodiments of the invention.

FIG. l is a more or less schematic illustration of a drum and :guide arrangement pursuant to the present invention;

FIGS. 2 through 4 are schematic views in side elevation and partially in cross-section of diierent embodiments of 4drum and guide arrangements;

.-FIGS. 5 Aand 6 are sectional views taken along the' lines A--A and B-B, respectively, of FIG. 2,;

FIG. 7 is a plan view of a frame pursuant to the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along the line C-C of FIG. 7; and

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 7, and illustrates another embodiment according to the invention.

Referring now particularly to FIGS. l and 3 of the drawings in detail, there is shown a drying mechanism or apparatus 20, pursuant to the present invention. As here depicted, provision is made for a housing 10 provided in its front `end wall 10a with an inlet slot 21 and provided in its rear end wall 10b with an outlet slot 22. Mounted within the housing l0 are a pair of drier drums 1 and 2 of the sieve type. The cylindrical surface of each drum is perforated as at 23, and a conventional suction aggregate or like means (not illustrated) is provided to draw air into each drum by suction. Each drum ismounted 'on la rotary shaft 24 suitably journalled within the housing. In FIGS. l and 3 drum 1 is'rotated clockwise, as shown by arrow 25 and drum 2 is rotated counter-clockwise as shownfby arrow 26. In FIG. 2, both drums are rotated clockwise. Y

In order to confine the suction within each d rum to a predetermined area of operation, each drum is provided internally thereof, with a stationary imperforated shield or ybaiiie plate 3 which removes the suction elect from that portion of the perforated drum surface which is located directly adjacent the plate or conducting device 4.

A guide means arrangement is associated with each pair of drums 1-2. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 this guide means comprises a pair of laterally spaced angle irons or tracks 6 (FIGS. 5 and 6) which extend from inlet 21 over and spaced from drum 1 and under drum 2 to outlet 22, in FIGS. 1 and 3. y

'In the embodiment of FIG. 2, both drums 1 and 2 rotate in clockwise direction, as shown by arrow 25 and the :guides 6 pass over both drums from the inlet to the outlet. In the embodiment of FIG. 4 drum 1 rotates counter-clockwise, as shown by arr-ow 26 and drum 2 rotates clockwise, as shown by arrow 25, the guides 6 passing from inlet 21 under drum 1 and over drum 2 to outlet 22.

It will be notedr that inv FIG. 3, shutter plates 3f close the bottom and top surface areas or portions of drums 1 and 2, respectively. In FIG. 2, plates 3 close the bottom surface portions of both drums 1 and 2. In FIG. 4 In FIG. 4 shutter plates 3 close the top and bottom surface portions of drums 1 and 2, respectively. v

In the embodiment .of FIG. 2, a conducting device 4 i-s disposed between the two drums. Device 4 is mounted in the housing, as at 27-,27 (FIG. 6), and is preferably of hollow construction with its upper lsurface 4a slightly concave and perforated and with conventional provision to draw air by -suction therein. Y

Referring now to FIGS. 7 and 8 in detail, there is shown an open frame 5, pursuant to .the present invention. The frame is formed of exible or yieldable material and is provided with the spacer rods 8 which extend between the long sides 29 thereof. A net or like perforated means 28 is stretched -across the open frame. -The article to be dried, here shown asa sweater 7, is stretched on thenet, being suitably secured thereto, as by hooks or any other suitable retaining means. A plurality of spaced recesses, which form suction cups 11, are defined in the frame sides 29, in both surfaces thereof.

The frames rare inserted in succession into the housing inlet 21 with the long sides 29' thereof adjacent to the spaced .tracks 6-6, as best shown in FIG. 5. As the frames :are inserted into the inlet theyoverlie or come in contact with the operative surface portion of drum 1, that is,rthe area or portion which *is Ynot obstructedl by shutter or bale 3, so that the suction is effective upon thersuction recesses 1-1 to make the frame cling to the from housing 10 into perforated drum surface of frame 1 and move .along with the rotation of the drum, being guided by the guides 6 6.

The flexible frame material conforms to the curvature of the drum. In each of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 2-5, the bathe 3 in drum 1 is so positioned as to block the suction at the location where the frame is to ride off drum 1 onto drum 2. The baffle 3 in drum 2, is disposed in each case, so as to permit the suction efectat that location where the frame rides onto drum 2 and to block it where the frame is to ride olf drum 2 and out through outlet 22'. In FIG. 2, the frames ride over the upper surfaces of both drums. In FIG. 3, the frames move over drum I and under drum 2. In FIG. 4, the frames are' directed underneath drum 1 and then over drum 4.

Referring to FIG. 9', there is shown a frame 5a which is ysimilar in all respects to frame 5, except that the long sides 29a are made somewhat wider and are smooth, being rather devoid of suction recesses 11. The wider and smooth surfaces of the long sides 29a provide 'good suction grips for adherence to the drums by suction, While the article? is retained in position on carrier or netting by means of Vrods 8. vIf desired, the perforated area of the drum surface ymay be so formed and selected that the suction -is particularly strong thereat. It is well understood thatthe` draft or suction actionY may be achieved by any known exhaust fans or likemeans, which direct air or any other .fluid or drying medium the interior of the drums andv thence therewithout, as it i-s conventional. Various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention and it is intended that such obvious changes and modifications be embraced by the annexed claim.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new anddesired to beV secured by Letters Patent is:

Apparatus of the character described, comprising rotary drum means, each having `a perforated surface for drawing air by suction into said drum means, vindividual Hex-v ible framel means .having provision to hold material toY be dried Vand each constructed Iand arranged ,for substantially peripheral engagement. with said Adrum Vmeans and maintenance thereon by saidsuction, and means for guiding said individual frame means for movement onto, over and ofi said drum means, each frame means having predetermined portions whichare adapted to adhere by suction to the drum means, said predetermined portions being recesses provided in said frame means -to dene suction cups. Y Y References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 791,029 Johnson May 30, 1905 1,377,793 Schwartz May 10, 192.1V 1,718,573 Millspaugh Iune25, 192.9 '1,773,852 Parkes Aug. 26, 1930 2,086,699 Dalin Iuly 13, 1937 2,091,805 C huse Aug. 31, 1937 2,268,458 Moore Dec. 30, 1941 '2,521,100 Sublette Sept. 5, 1950' 2,879,607 Fleissner et al Mar. 31, 1959' 

